Does the NDP Favour One Public School System?

OTTAWA – NDP Leader Andrea Horwath must eliminate the confusion suddenly surrounding her party’s position on one public school system after two of her candidates spoke in favour of the policy, including Ottawa Centre’s Joel Harden.

Here's the exchange at a recent debate:

Moderator: What are your views on abolishing public funding for Catholic School Boards and what are your views on merging school boards?

NDP candidate Joel Harden: So the NDP has a policy on this matter, David, and at the moment the policy is that we support some version of the status quo and not a merged public school board.

My personal opinion, to which I am entitled, is that I believe we need to have a merged public school board, and I say that not as a statement that is anti-Catholicism.

I was raised in my grandparents’ Presbyterian church that distilled in me values that I hold to this very day, but I am very disturbed at the notion that one can only work in a Catholic school board if one is a Catholic.

Harden is joined in his private agenda on school boards by Sault Ste. Marie NDP candidate Michele McCleave-Kennedy.

At the OSSTF Communications/Political Action Committee (CPAC) Meeting in November 2016, McCleave-Kennedy helped lead sessions to establish a single education system. A public report on the meeting says:

"I met our local Sault Ste. Marie Labour Council President, Michele McCleave- Kennedy. Labour Councils do a lot for the community such as community outreach and education. Next big push will be the “One Single Education System.”

Ottawa Centre and Sault Ste. Marie are two key ridings in this election. Both Harden and McCleave-Kennedy won contested nominations.